Bezalel

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In Exodus 31:1-6 and chapters 36 to 39, Bezalel, Bezaleel, or Betzalel (Hebrew: בְּצַלְאֵל, Bəṣalʼēl) was the chief artisan of the Tabernacle and was in charge of building the Ark of the Covenant, assisted by Oholiab. The section in chapter 31 describes his selection as chief artisan, in the context of Moses' vision of how God wanted the tabernacle to be constructed, and chapters 36 to 39 recount the construction process undertaken by Bezalel, Oholiab and every gifted artisan and willing worker, in accordance with the vision. Elsewhere in the Bible the name occurs only in the genealogical lists of the Book of Chronicles, but a Hebrew inscription discovered at Tel Arad refers to the "sons of Bezal" (a shortened form of Bezalel's name) as cultic personnel in the 8th century BCE. The name "Bezalel" means "in the shadow [protection] of the god El." Bezalel is described in the genealogical lists as the son of Uri (Exodus 31:1), the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah (I Chronicles 2:18, 19, 20...

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